Before After

Our design styles are always evolving, but perhaps most of all in our mid-twenties. That’s when we start to look around at the random furniture, family hand-me-downs, and sidewalk scores we’ve gathered since our first apartments and say to ourselves: “Huh?”Samantha was ready to swap her assortment of furniture for new pieces that felt more cohesive and sophisticated.

We don’t believe in rules when it comes to design, but we do believe in some tried-and-true principles that have never let us down. And if you feel like your space needs a little extra something to feel complete, they just might help you get there.That was the case for the cozy Chicago apartment that Samantha shares with her roommate. The home had so many great elements — exposed brick! natural light!

A delicious home-cooked meal is one of life’s greatest joys. And though Samantha and her roommate had a modern and bright kitchen in their Chicago apartment, one important ingredient was missing: a place to eat.With a small open-concept kitchen and living area, they usually ate meals on the sofa. And they didn’t do much entertaining, since there wasn’t a good spot for friends to gather. So Samantha set out to make their kitchen and dining area more functional.

We’ve all been there: that moment in your twenties when you feel like an adult, but your home feels like a mishmash of everything you’ve thrifted, inherited from your parents, and rescued from the sidewalk. It’s not quite a dorm room, but it’s not not.That’s how Samantha and her roommate felt about their Chicago apartment. “Our furniture style could best be described as ‘nonexistent,'” she says.